Food Recipes Hub

Mackerel in Brine Pieces

The easiest and fastest way to pickle your favorite fish! Due to the fact that the mackerel is cut into pieces, the cooking time is reduced – it will be ready in 12 hours. There is nothing superfluous in the brine, only salt, sugar and pepper, so the fish turns out to be very natural in taste.

CourseSnacks Ideas, Special Food Dishes
CuisineAsian Cuisine, Japan Cuisine, Korean Cuisine
KeywordEasy, For Beginners

Servings	Prep Time
4	5minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
12hours	~12hours

Servings	Prep Time
4	5minutes

Cook Time	Passive Time
12hours	~12hours

Ingredients

2pieces Mackerel
0.5liter Water
2tablespoon Salt
1teaspoon Sugar
3pieces Bay leaf
5pieces Allspice
10pieces Black pepperpeas

Instructions

How to prepare pickled mackerel in brine? Begin by gathering all the necessary ingredients for the salting process. If the mackerel is frozen, defrost it gradually by placing it in the refrigerator. In case it’s not cleaned, start by removing the head and then opening the belly to remove the innards. Make sure to eliminate the black film as it may cause bitterness in the fish.
To create the brine, use high-quality water, either filtered or bottled, as the taste of the brine will influence the flavor of the fish. Pour the water into a saucepan, add salt, sugar, and both types of pepper, as well as bay leaves. You can also incorporate spices like cloves, coriander, and mustard seeds.
Place the saucepan with the brine on the heat source and bring it to a boil. Allow it to boil for a few minutes to ensure the salt and sugar are fully dissolved.
Let the brine cool down to room temperature.
While the brine is cooling, prepare the mackerel. Use scissors to remove the fins and a sharp knife to cut it into pieces. You can adjust the thickness of the pieces according to your preference. I recommend removing the tail.
Select a container for salting, preferably an airtight one like a jar with a lid or a resealable container, with glass being the best choice. Arrange the mackerel pieces in the container.
Pour the cooled brine over the fish in the container. Add the bay leaves and pepper as well. Ensure that the brine covers the entire fish to facilitate the salting process.
Seal the containers with lids and place them in the refrigerator. After approximately 12 hours, the fish will be ready to eat as it will have fully absorbed the flavors. Before serving, drain any excess liquid by placing the pieces on a paper towel.

Recipe Notes

Keep in mind that the quality and taste of the finished dish largely depends on the proper defrosting of the fish.

The fish turned out to be delicious and quick to prepare. I salted it in the evening, and it was ready to eat by the morning. Personally, I prefer this method over salting a whole fish.

When preparing fish, never defrost it completely if you plan to cut it up. It’s best to place it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator and bring it to a slightly defrosted state. This way, any cutting or filleting will be much easier to handle. Fully defrosted fish, when butchered, can become a shapeless mass.

For cooking, it’s advisable to use filtered or bottled water with a neutral taste. If you opt for tap water, be aware that it can impart an unpleasant flavor to the dish.

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